Electric welding



Aug. 26, 1930. .J. AQTOLEIK ELECTRIC WELDING Filed bee. 8; 192s s Sheets-Sheet 1 W- 25, 3 J; A. TOLEIK 1,773,892

ELECTRIC WELDING F1166. D80. 8. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet X i Q m N 0 o h u o l o 0 V N 3 o o TTORNE Y5 Aug. 25, 1930. J, TOLEI 1,773,892

amacmrq lemma Filed mama/1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 NTOR.

gym A TORNEYS Aug. 26, 1930. I YTOLEIK 1,773,892- amcmrc WELDING Filed Dec. 8, 1926' s Sheets-Sheet 4 S- 1 30- J. A. TOLEIK ,8 2

iamacmxc wswnw File 0 .8. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 if Tf xg 22.-

v 10311 a. .TOLEIK, or wnsr omen, new JERSEY, assrcmoa r 'mnrc'm can g o formatlon and fedfrom the stack in proces-I Patented Aug.26', 1 930 UNITED STATES.

rm, 0] NEW YORK, 11'. Y., A

ELECTRIC lp'plieation filed December welding,-and while it has particular refer- "ence to the spot welding of the side seams of tin cans, it will be readily manifest that it has other and more general applications, and that many of its features and sub-combinations are readiIymda tabIe to valuable emplolment for variousand sundryother uses. principal object of the, invention is'the provlsion of a spot welding device or apparatus capableof ready incorporation in a can body forming apparatus,and this without the 'uirement of substantial re-design ofthe 'b dy forming apparatus or reconstruction of its'usual operating mechanisms; I

In the 'formin of tin cans, blanks are ordinarily arrange ,in a body former in stack sional order and past instrumentalities which notch and finally arrange each blank curved about the horn, with the central portions of 7 its edges between the notches formed into in- I terengaging hooks or lfolds. These edges are bumped or compressed to 01m a lock seam- I 'ing portion extending'throughout the greater artofv the length of the blank. At the en ofthis lock portion the blank edges are overlapped to facilitate double seammgof the can endsto the body.

ere the can is intended to be opened by the consumer of its contents by removing a tearing strip set ofi by score llnes encircling the body, the lap part of the seam at one end is made sufliciently wide to accommodate both the seam and 'the tearing strip. While the" entire side seaming is soldered after the body is formed, it has been found advantageous, particularly ,v-here the wide lap portions above described are provided, to spotweld thelaps at a point near the end of the body, and while the invention will be hereinafter described inconnection with a body maker particularly arranged and adapted-to oonstruct'bodies of the said tearing strip character, it will, of

- course, be manifest that the invention iscapableofincorporation in can, container and receptacle making machines adapted to pro duce a wide variety of cans,jcontainers, and receptacles, and is capable also of ncorporation in machines for other purposes, and

PATENT OFFICE commrroa or new was.

wELnme a, 1m. Serial in. 153,252.

of use as an independent apparatus, my invention contemplatin all of such uses of the invention as may i within the scope of the appended claims.

An important object oftheinvention is the provision of a spot welding unit or construein for an object the provision of a spot weldinii lg' mechanism adapted for successful and cient operation at high s d.

Another important ob ect of the invention is'the revision of a spot welding mechanism structed, arranged and operated in such manner as to permit of high output of the mechanism with minimum deterioration of the electrodes from the successiv'e weldingactions, so that there will be minimum mterruption of its continued action through the necessit of repair, readjustment or replacement 0 the parts.

v Another-important object of the invention is the provision of a spot welding mechanism adapted for incorporation in' a can bod former, the construction 01E the patts'of whic and their operation will be such" that the welding o erations may occur without in any manner a terin' the normal and usualfeed of the forme and/or soldering horn.

Another importantob'ect b fithe inYntion is the provision'of a spot welding mechanism which, when incorporated m t canlbody former or other apparatus, will bepositively prevented from accom lishing' its periodic welding o eration in ge-ahsence of a can body or 0t erarticle arranged to receive the we 4 I i V Another important the invention.

wherein the electrodes employed will be con-- bodies along. the .-"forming a is the provision'of. a mechanism which may be'operated at high speedi' and which willpermit of the use of'aheavy welding current without danger of destructive arcing as aresult of the rapidly repeated applications of the current.- Numerous other.

was a; tdv t g of the invention will be apparent as it is hetter understood from the following descripmaking and breaking switch forming a feature of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig.3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top planview of the lower electrode and its mounting;

Fig. 7 is anenlarged fragmentary elevation showing therelation of the two electrodes and their attendant parts;

Fig.8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing the parts in different relation;

Fi ..9 is a view similar to Figs. 7 and 8, showing the electrodes in welding position;

Fig. 10 is a sectiontaken vertically and along the axis of the lower electrode;

Fig. 11 is a section taken substantially on line 115-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged elevation showing the parts in welding position and with a portion of the horn and can body removed to disclose internal devices; and 1 Figs. 13 and 14 are sections taken, respectively, substantially on lines 13 and 14 of or the purpose of illustrating my present invention, I have shown on the drawings a can .bodymaker and former which comprises a base 21 supporting the operatin'g'parts and 7 devices. The details of construction of much of this body former are unimportant to an understanding of the present invention, and

only a general description thereof is, therefore, inserted herein.

A frame extension 22 clamped on the main frame 21 is provided with a stack holder 23,

in whichv body blanks 24 are arranged.

Reference character 25 indicates a swinging suction arm for drawing down successively ,derscrew 44 is positioned through 'the center the lowermost blanks of the stack into positionto be engaged by a feed slide 26, which tentl reciprocates through the action of suitable link and lever mechanisms 27 to arrange the blanks i'n processional order, and-intermitadvance themthrough, the machine. The lanks first pass a notchi "station 28, in which notches. are provide U in-the ends of'the blanks'to determine the lock and lap portiolis'of the seam to be formed. After the blanks moving in their processional order have passed through the notcher they arrive at abending station 29 where they are moved endwlse n the present machine and arewrapped about a mandrel or horn 31. Here feed devices 32zintermittently move them on station 33. where the hooked edges are interengaged and they are bumped by a bumper or hammer 34. In the embodiment of the invention shown on'the drawings, the welding mechanism is incorporated in the body former immediately after the bumping station and this welding mechanism is adapted to perform the welding operation desired on the formed can body during the pause nor-- mally given these bodies as an incident to the regular intermittent movement of the feed devices bringing the blanks and bodies through the machine. 'After passing the welding station, the can bodies pass to the usual soldering devices, which are merelyins dicated schematically at 34. In the embodiment of the invention shown on the drawing and selected for the purposes of illustration only, a single weld is desired and this is .adapted to be arranged between the score lines indicated M35 and the end 36 of the blank 24, which has now been formed into a can body.

The electrodes for forming the welds in a can body-consist of an electrode 37 arranged within the horn itself and a second electrode 38 arranged outside the horn and beneath the travel of the can body therealong. *Each of these electrodes is in the form of a disc and they are arranged with their axes angularly disposed to each other, the plane of the disc 37 being a vertical plane through and along the axis of the horn, and the plane of the'd-i'sc 38 being arranged transversely there to and preferably off the vertical. so that merelyan edge of the circular face of the disc 38 engages in the welding action. The electrode 37 is provided with an enlarged hub 39..

(Fig. 13), the hub at one side and the face of the disc fitting against a correspondingly shaped back plate 41 secured bybolts 42- t0' the horn body part 43 therebehind. A shoulof the disc 37 and is "engaged in the mountmember against the disc and in turn the disc against the mounting 41, so that the disc or electrode 37 is frictionally held against movement during the welding operation. The can bodies 24 are fed along the horn by twospaced reciprocating feed bars 48 connected .ing or support 41 already described.- A

the disc. A spring 47 presses the ratchet 7 together by cross-pins 51 adapte to engage movement and to be retracted and pass through them on the return reciprocation.

cation of this feed slide to impart a small rotary movement t.o the electrode 37 after each welding-operation, and this pawl mechamsm comprises a reciprocating slide .52

. mounted on shoulder-screws 53, which-engage the su port or mounting 41 of the electrode. Said shoulder screws extend'through slots 54 in the slide. A pawl 55 ispivoted at 56 on the slide and overlies the ratchet 37,

57. e slide. 52. is pulled toward the right, viewing Fig. .12, by a spring 58 fast at one end to the slide and at the other 'end to the member 41. An arm 59 extends up through a. slot 61 in the top horn member into position cross pin 49 moves the paw towar the left, vie the fi res, and rotates the ratchet 49 andthe e ectrode 37 through an angle represented bya single tooth of the ratchet. v

The electrode 38 is shown in (igreatly enlarged detail in Fig. 10, and it an ings in many res cots are substantiall duplicates of those .o the electrode 37. T 0 disc or the electrode 38 is provided with a hub 62, which fits into a recess 63 in a movable electrode mountin formed, as will readily observed, to engage both the hub-and the flat side face of the disc.

' The face of this mountin is arranged in a desired lane to provide t e desired inclination of t e electrode 38.

Aratchet wheel ordisc 65. is recessed at 66 to receive the hub and is soformed thatfthe' ratchet engages both the adjacent face of the hub and the adjacent flat face of the disc. A

shoulder bolt 67 is arran ed through the ratchet, through the disc an into engagement with the mounting 64 and this shoulder bolt is provided with a spring 68 pressing the ratchet against the disc 38 and thedisc 38 against the mounting 64 so as to provide the desired frictional contact between these parts to hold the electrodeagains't movement during the welding operat on and to prevent the movement of the disc, except as it may be positively actuated, as will be presently described.

The present embodiment of the invention contemplates that the current will be delivered to the electrodes when in. welding posi- 49 and carr dogs ies as" beingrgressed thereagainst by aleaf spring.

its mount 64, this mounting being trode mounting.

member 69 secured to the mountin 41 by bolts 71. This contact member is in t e form of a plate and is arrangedabove the seam so the can bodies may freely pass it. When the y can bodies are at rest, as shown in Fi 12, an A pawl mechamsm 1S actuated by recipromove w1th the contact member 73.

Referring to Fig. 7, it will be noted that a guide member is secured to an arranged on the machine frame. ide

member 75 has two guideways 77. and 8, in

which are mounted reciprocating slides 79.

and 81. Each of these slides carries a block 82, 83. These blocks are of insulating material and the two are exactly alike, so the description of one of them will suflic. The block 82 is shown in section in Fig. 7 and it will be noted that a hbllow bore 84 extends through this block. A post 85 fixed to the member 73 is provided at this lower end with a sleeve 86 arranged in the bore 84. The portion of the post provided with the sleeve 86 is larger than the part of the post extending beyond the block and thus provides a, shoulder 87 which engages a sleeve nut 88 threaded into the top of the post. The lower end of the bore 84 is closed by a screw plug 88 and a spring 89 is positioned between this screw plug and the post 85 extending up intothe sleeve part 86 of the post. A guide pin 91 is also secured to the mounting 73 and extends into a recess 92 in the post to prevent rotation of the contact member 74. Reference character 93 represents the post extending .into the block 825 and reference character 94 the pin for preventing rotation of the elec- The contact 74 and caused to reciprocate in timed relation w1th each other and in timed relation also with the.

movement of the can bodies by mechanism that will now be described:

While a des ription of the power mechanism for a b an understanding of the present invention, it should bementioned that shaft 95 extending the electrode 38 are maker is not necessary for crosswise of the machine. and in the present instance employed to drive the bumper or hammer '34, is provided with a grooved cam 96 in, which is arranged a roller 97 on a lever 98 pivoted at 99 below the slide 79. A link 101 connects the slide 79 with the upper end of lever'98. A link 102 is pivotallyaconnected at one end at the connection 103 between lever 98 and link 101, and at the other end at 104 to two toggle links 105 and 106,

the link 105 being pivoted at 107 on the guide member 75 and the link 106 being pivoted to the slide 87. At each revolution, therefore,

of the shaft 95, both the contact member and the electrode 38 will be moved up into engagement, respectively, with the'contact 69 and 'the can body positioned between the electo Fig. 1, reference characterlll indicates,

one side of a power line from any suitable source of current, and reference character 112 the other side. These connect-ions go to a hand switch 113 of the doubleknife blade type and from this one wire 114 leads to a circuit breaker 115 adapted to be closed to supply current. as will be presently described, when the welding electrodes are in welding position and to break and interrupt said current before said electrodes leave said-positions. From the circuit breaker a wire 116 leads to one leg of the primary of a transformer 117,"'the second leg of which is connected by a wire 118 to the switch 113. The secondary of the transformer 117 is provided with connector members'119 and 121. The connector member 119, through flexible leaf conductors 122, is connectedto an arm or extension 123 at the back of the mounting for electrode 38. The welding current passes from the electrode 38 through the seam being welded to electrode 37 which is'grounded in the horn and from the horn passes out through contact 74 to its mounting 73, having an extension 124 connected by leaf conduc'tors 125 with conductor member 121.

Since the circuit maker and breaker 115 is automatically operated after each intermittent movement of the can body, and since also the weldingcircuits are completed'through the reciprocation of the slides 79 and 81, it is restraining of this movement being desirable to prevent fusing of the electrodes together should a can body be absent at the welding station. Means are provided for interrupting the welding circuit, i. e. the secondary circuit from the transformer in the absence of a can body, and this means comprises. an'arm 131 pivoted at 132 in the horn and adapted when in the vertical position shownin Fig. 8 to dependover the mounting 64, preventing the mounting 64 up to oring the electrodes into contact, the 4 P 1" mitted by the spring in the block 83 similar to thespring 89 in the block 82. The arm 131 is pressed to obstructing position by a. spring 133, the action of the arm under this sprin being limited by a shoulder 134 on the 'top 0 the arm which engages a stop 135 suitablypositioned. An insulating contact insert 136 is provided in the mounting 64 to insulate the arm from the mounting. The feeding of swing it up into the horn (as seen in Fig. 9)

as the can is advanced. Positive means are thus provided to prevent the completion of the secondary or welding. circuit in the from moving It is desired that the welding current be suddenly and powerfully applied and that as an incident to this there be no sparking at the welding station (the can bodies are of thin sheet material'and easily burned) and this is prevented both by the circuit breaker, which will be presently described in detail, and by the firm yielding pressure exerted by the springs in the insulated blocks 82 and 83, which form firm contact between the electrodes 37 and 38 and the can body and also between the contacts 74 and 69.

The circuit breaker which is in the primary circuit, and which is shown more particularly in Figures 3 to 5, comprises fixed con-' tacts 141 and 142, to which the wires 114 and 116 are suitably connected. The con tacts141 and 142 are mounted upon an insulated back 143 attached to a suitable part of the body maker frame; in the present instance to the extension 22. Movable contacts are adapted tobe brought into engagement with a bridge, and the contacts 141and paratus Which has one rotation for each feed 1 of the can body. Bracket arms 146 extend out from a bearing 147 ofthis shaft and a bifurcated lever 148 is pivoted in said bracket arms and has a roll 149 engaging inthe groove of the cam 144. The lever 148 isprovided at its end with a cross-head 151. insulated by a bushing 152 from the lever;

This cross-head has large bearing-ends 153 for contact pins 154 having. heads 155 and 156 on o posite sides of the bearings. A spring 15? contact plates 158,'preferably of silver, are

provided in the two fixed contacts141 and 142 and are held in place by clamp locks 159.

. trodes are-in position andcontacts 69 and 74' in engagement, the heads 156 of the contact pushes each-pin to engage the pin head 155 with the cross-head. Removable pins 154 first engage the contact members 158 and immediately thereafter the heavy contact leaves 162 bridge contacts 141 and 142. The-timing of the apparatus is such also that prior'to the separation of the contacts 69 and 74 or the electrode at the welding station, interruption is accomplished in the circuit breaker. Because the circuit is made and opened in the primary, sparking is'reduced to a minimum and is sustained entirely.

by the silver plates 158, which are readily removable for re-forming or replacing.

In order to prevent warpageof the electrodes and attendant parts through the heating of the same-as an incident to the welding gperation, it will be noted from examinin igures and 11 that the electrodes an their mountings have such relative dimensionsas will-permit of expansion from the m welding heat. Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the construction 0 the electrode 38, but it will be understood that a similar relation of the dimensions of the parts is accomplished in the electrode 37 and its mounting. Viewing Figures 10 and 11, it will be ap arent that-the here throughelectrode 38, w ich is indicated at 163, is somewhat larger than shoulder bolt 67 and that the recess 63 is slightly larger than hub 62 of the electrode.

' go This permits of expansion in the plane of the electrode, expansion at right angles tothe plane 'being accommodated by the spring 68.

After the cans are advanced'from the weld- :5 ing station, they pass to a solder horn 171,

where the are en a ed b V rs 172 on a feed chain 173 a d carrizd di' cfihe solder ap lying devices.

V has already been stated, the electrode 38 is s rin -pressed against the can body seam w an m weldin position andin this position resents an e ge of itseircular face 1 against t e can bod both concentrating the pressure and rovi iriiig minimum contact for maximum we din e ect. After each welding operation, a s ight rotation of the electrode 38 takes (place and is produced by a pawl 174 pivote in an insert 175 in the guide member 7 5 and backed up by a spring 176 in said insert. This pawl causes a one-tooth rotation of the ratchet 66 and electrode-38 upon eachdownward recip'rocationof the slide 81. In thus rotating the two electrodes throughout minute arcs after each welding operation,

the opportunity for beapparent that when the edge of the electrode 38 entering into the welding contact has finally deteriorated to a degree afiectin its efiiciency, the disc may be removed ans reversed inposition and the operation continued.

I It'will be apparent also that the construction of the arts, the ground connection from the electro e 37 to contact 69, etc., all facilitate the dissipation of the heat after welding.

' It will be manifest from the foregoing .that the solderin mechanism. hereinbefore described and em odyingthe present invention, while particularl adapted for usewith can body making an article forming machines employing closely timed and successively operating article forming instrumentalities, is capable of eflicient and valuable .65 use independently thereof, and that certain 'lpitti or burning the electrodesis materia y re uced and it willof the features of the invention have even still other and wider application.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the'foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may rangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope. of the invention or sacrificing all ofits material advantages, the

form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof. i

I claim:

.be made in the form, construction and ar- 1. In a machine for making can'bodies and i the likei1 the combination of a horn about ,2

which e can bodies may he formed and moved for successive operations, associated instrumentalities for formin a body upon, said horn and engaging the e gas of the body to form a lock and lap-seam can bod means for movin said bodies along said orn, an

electrode, ocated within the horn, an electrode located outside said horn and in juxtaposition with respect to the electrode within the horn, devices 'for producing relative movement between said electrodes to cause them to engage momentarily on opposite sides of the lap portion of said seam, and

electric devices for producing a welding current from said electrodes and through'a lap portion of said seam.

2. In a machine for making can bodies and the like, the combination of a horn, seam forming and soldering instrumentalities arranged alongside of said horn and awelding.

devlce-positioned between said seam forming aiid soldering instrumentalities said welding device comprisin contact members arranged inside and outsi e said horn, meansproducingrelative 'motion between said contact members to cause them to engage opposite faces of the seam, and an electric connection for supplgieng a welding current to said contact-.mem r.

3. In a machine for making can bodies and the like, comprising, a horn upon which can bodies may be formed and along-which they may be moved, a welding electrode arranged therealong for subse uent operation, a contact member grounde to the machine and arranged within the horn for engagement with a seamed portion'of a can body when said can body is in predetermined position, a second contact member movable to engage the seam opposite the contact member Within the horn, a third ground contact member adapted to be moved conjointly with the second mentioned contact member into closed current relation with the machine, and means supplying welding current through said contact' members to weld the seam engaged between the contact members.

5. In a machine for making can bodies and the like, the combination of a horn onwhich can bodies may be formed and along which they may be moved, a spot-welding devlce associated with said horn and comprising an electrode located within the horn and an electrode located without the horn, means for producing relative movement of said electrodes into engagement with the seam of the can body in-predetermined position on said horn, and means supplying a welding current through said electrode and can body seam.

6. In a machine for makingcan bodies and the like, the combination of a horn on which 'can bodies may be formed and along which they may be moved, a spot-welding device associated with said horn and comprising an electrode located within the horn andan electrode located without the horn, means for producing relative movement of said electrodes into engagement withthe seam of the r can body in predetermined position 'on said horn, and means supplying a welding current through said electrode and can body seam, said last mentioned means including a source of energy, a' direct connection between the electrode located without the horn and a connection grounded through the horn to the electrode within the horn.

7. In an article forming machine, the combination of a mandrel along which formed articles may be moved in processional arrangement, spot-welding contacts arranged within and without said mandrel and on opposite sides of the path of travel of parts of said articles, means producing periodic relative movement of said contacts in timed relation to the processional order ofsaid articles and into engagement with each said article to spot-weld the same, and a-device for precluding welding engagement inthe. absence of a said article. v v

8. In an article ,forming machine, the combination of amandrel along which formed articles may be moved in PIOCGSSiOIlillfib I rangement, spot-welding contacts arranged within and without said mandrel and on opposite sides of the path of travel of parts of said articles, means producing periodic relative movement of said contacts in timed relation to the processional order of said articles and into engagement with' each said article to spot-weld the same, and a device for preeluding welding engagement in the absence movable and separately mounted,

of a said article, said device being operable by each said article as it arrives at spot-welding position.

9. In an article forming machine, the combination of a mandrel along which formed articles may be moved in processional order, a

aspot-welding electrodearranged within in spot-welding position.

10. In an article forming machine, the com- Y bination of a mandrel along which formed artlcles may be mdved in processional order, a welding electrode and contact member 10- nection with each otlier, a welding electrode and a contact member arranged without said cated within said mandrel and in electric conmandrel and adapted for conjoint movement as each article is presented in spot-welding position, said welding electrode pressing the article against the electrode within the mandrel, and said contact member engaging directly the contact member withinthe mandrel and between the articles in processional order. n

11. An article forming mechanism, the combination of a mandrel along which formed articles may be moved in processional order, a welding electrode arranged within said mandrel and in positionto engage a said article-at the welding station, a welding elecion trode arranged without said mandrel, a

yielding support for said. electrode, and means moving said electrode periodically and in timed relation with the processional order 1 of said articles to producepressure welding contact'between said electrodes and said article.

12. An article forming mechanism, the

combination of a mandrel along which bination of a mandrel along which formed art-icles may be moved in processional order, an electrode arranged within said mandrel and in position to engage each said article at the Welding station, an outside welding electrode and an outside contact member conjointly said con- A tact member engaging a horn part as an in cident to said conjoint movement, and said electrode engaging the article in co-operation with the electrode within the horn, one of the mountings of said outside electrode and said contact member being insulated from the rest of said machine.

.14. In a, spot-welding machine, the combination of co-operating spot-Welding electrodes, a said electrode comprising a disc, a m mounting therefor which engages a. planeface of said disc. and yielding means for frcing said disc against said mounting.

, 15. In a spot-welding machine, the combination of co-0perating spot-Welding electrodes, a said electrode comprising a disc, a

mounting therefor which engages a plane face of said disc, and means periodically rotatably moving said disc against the friction created by said yielding means and said mounting.

' 16. In an article forming machine, the combination of a guide along which formed articles may be moved, a device for feeding said articles along said guide, co-operating. contacts for spot-welding said articles as they arrive at the welding station, and a device operated by said feeding device for moving a said electrode to present successive portions thereof for contact atsuccessive Welding operations.

a JOHN A. TOLEIK. 

